Shell & Ferrari facts & figures...

SHELL FORMULA ONE FACTS AND FIGURES 2007

I found this interesting, thought y'all might too...

TECHNICAL

• The Shell hydraulic fluid in the Ferrari Formula One car must be exceptionally clean. To do its job properly, the hydraulic fluid must be filtered down to three microns - 20 times finer than the width of a human hair - in order to remove all contamination!

• The ability of an engine oil to cool as well as lubricate is often overlooked. Pistons can exceed temperatures of 300°C – did you know that engine oil is sprayed on the underside of the pistons to keep them cool? Without this extra protection they would undoubtedly fail in a race.

• Due to heat transfer, the fuel in a Formula One car can get as hot as a ‘just-made’ cup of tea.

• All fuels are not the same, and Shell V-Power fuel is not just fuel mixed together with a few chemicals. Shell’s Formula One V-Power racing fuel contains over 250 different components carefully blended for the perfect mix of power and response.

• Formula One cooling systems are quite conventional by definition in the rules, but did you know that antifreeze actually reduces the cooling capabilities of water? Shell has an additive for the coolant that protects the engine from corrosion, without impacting on the heat transfer properties of water.

• The Ferrari is designed to direct hot exhaust gas over the rear of the car. Shell grease, which maintains the efficiency of the moving parts, has been designed to take this extra thermal load into account.

• Fuel is ‘conditioned’ (cooled) before it is put into the race car. The regulations dictate that it cannot be cooled to lower than 10degC below the ambient temperature.

• Cool fuel is ‘volumetrically efficient’ (it takes up less space) so more can be added to the car in the same period of time during a pit stop. Cooler fuel also gives the engine more power.

• Every year, Shell blends 250,000 litres of fuel for the Ferrari Formula One race and test teams.


AT THE RACES

• Shell Formula One fuel and lubricants are analysed by Shell technicians in an on-site laboratory at races. The x-ray technique used to analyse the lubricants is so accurate that differences between the drivers’ styles can be detected.

• During a race weekend, Shell engineers will analyse over 40 samples of Ferrari’s fuel and oil.

• The Shell Track Lab can detect contamination in a fuel sample equivalent to finding a cup of sugar in Loch Ness.

• Shell sends between five and seven people to every Formula One race. But up to 100 Shell people are involved with the partnership in Shell laboratories and facilities around the world.

• Formula One fuel has three main tasks: to give power, protection and drivability.

• Formula One lubricant has three main tasks: to lubricate, to absorb heat and to minimise power loss through friction.


TRACK TO ROAD

• Shell V-Power Formula One fuel contains 99 per cent of the same types of components as V-Power for the road, but the Shell Helix lubricant in the engine is designed especially for Formula One.

• All Ferrari road cars are designed using Shell fuels and lubricants.

• Shell provides fuel, engine oil, gearbox oil, hydraulic fluid and greases to the Formula One team and Ferrari’s road car production line.


HISTORY

• Shell has been involved with motor racing since the beginning of the sport, and first partnered with racing teams in the 1920s.

• Shell’s relationship with Enzo Ferrari dates back to the 1930s – having started his career as a racing driver, Ferrari ran the Factory Alfa Romeo racing team. During this time Shell became one of Scuderia Ferrari’s first ever technical partners.

• Shell and Ferrari were technical partners at the very first round of the Formula One World Championship in Britain, 1950.

• Shell powered Ferrari to its first ever Formula One win at Silverstone in 1951. The Ferrari Type 375 was driven by José Froilián González.

• During the partnership with Shell, Ferrari has won 11 Formula One Drivers’ Titles and eight Constructors’ crowns.

• The World Constructors’ Title was only established in 1958. Had it been created the same year as the Drivers’ Title, Ferrari would have won an additional five crowns with Shell.

• Shell provided Michael Schumacher with over 181,000 litres of Shell racing fuel during his career at Ferrari.

• Shell has powered seven teams in the history of the Formula One World Championship, but Ferrari stands out as most successful. Together, the partnership has scored more than 2000 World Championship points.

 

I just found it on the Shell Press site... I don't work for them or anything.

I work for Embarq as an engineer.

www.embarq.com (formerly the LTD division of Sprint-Nextel)

Technically, I live in Olathe, a suburb of K.C.

 

It's 2819GT - the one, and only, Breadvan. I wish I owned it. I sat in it once, in 2005. Turns out I couldn't drive it even if I did own it... I was barely able to fit inside...

Don't look at me. I didn't validate the facts...
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Indeed, the oil jets spraying the underside of the pistons isn't all that unique. I used to have a 1991 Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo... it had 'em - I remember seeing them - after the timing belt went and the pistons got a little too close to the valves...